Time controlled annunciator



Sept. 7, 1937.

J. H. GRAYSON 2,092,715

TIME CON TROLLED ANNUNCIATOR Filed Sept. 29, 1936 Patented Sept. 7, 931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3,715 TIME CONTROLLED AKNUNCIATOB JohnlLGsnsneaum September as. 1m, Serial No. 102,101 1 Claim. (01. 101-23) berequired, she is apt, by reason of other distractions, to unconsciouslyprolong the period to the detriment of the food and sometimes to the i5extent of its being spoiled by burning or overcooking.

My present invention is designed to announce to the cook by a suitablesignal the fact that her attention is required, the length of timeelapsing 20 before the signal is given being dependent upon apredetermined setting of the apparatus.

More specifically my invention aims to provide an annunciator of thecharacter indicated which will be simplein construction, which willconsist 25 of a minimum number of parts. which will be economical tomanufacture and easy to manipulate by the user, and which will beaccurate, reliable, and durable in operation.

The preferred embodiment of my invention,

30 which has been chosen for illustrative purposes.

is shown on the accompanying drawing.

Referring to which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the case shown 35 in section so as notto obscure the mechanisms;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view with the case shown in section similarly to Fig.2: and

40 Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line H of Fig. 2.

On the drawing, reference character indicates generally the face of aclock, the mechanism of which is enclosed in the case I, the en- 45 tireassembly in the present instance being adapted to be mounted in a backpanel 8 of a kitchen stove or in any other suitable support. The clockmechanism itself may be of thespring mosist of the usual pinions, gears,and other necessay mechanism, the details of which form no part of mypresent invention and are not here as illustrated except so far as maybe necessary to an understanding of the application of my in-.

vention thereto.

Immediately behind the dial of the clock there is mounted upon the motordriven shaft ii a minute dial it, provided on its face with minutegraduations II which are visible from the front of the clock through anopening it in the clock dial. This minute dial is rotatably mounted onand frictionaliy connected with the shaft ii so as to be rotatablethereby and also be capable 10 of manual adjustment relatively thereto.While a any suitable frictional driving connection between the shaft andthe minute dial may be utilined, I have shown in the present instancethe dial it as being cupped as shown at it to frictionally contact theface of a gear wheel II which.

through the usual clock train (not shown) is positively driven from theshaft ii. Through this frictional connection, rotation of the shaft I iis imparted to the minute dial I! so that it normally rotates with theclock mechanism.

The minute dial may be independently adjusted by a knob 22 fixed on theshaft ll which carries a pinion 24 meshing with the peripheral teeth ofthe dial l2. ,7 25

A gear I with which the clock hands are associated is connected throughan idler I I with a pinion II on a shaft II, on the outer end of whichthe time setting knob or button If is mounted. The gear ll being alsofrictionally driven by the clock train, the setting of the hands of theclock may be accomplished by turning the knob 2|. The device by whichthe signal, either audible or visible, is given may in some instances beof a mechanical type although preferably an electric signal is employedand such type is here illustrated. The device as shown comprises anelecnetic armature 28 having one end anchored as at 29 and the other endupturned at 8| to constitute a striker adapted to impact against asounding board I! of suitable material anchored through the back of thecase 1 into engagement so with the sounding board. Alternate currentenergization of the coil II will cause the mature II to vibrate andthereby in-conjuuction with the sounding board produce an audiblesignal.

In this instance the armature pieces of the i with a depending shoulder38 formed on a bell sured by a leaf spring 42 crank lever 31 which isfulcrumed at It to an ear 39 carried by a member ll of the clock frame.The upper end of this lever is adapted to abut against and hold thearmature it against the sounding board 82 in the position shown in thedrawing when the shoulder It is supported upon the minute dial as shownin but is adapted position shown is brought into alignment Movement ofthe lever from the tion to the dotted to retract into the dotted line insaid figure when the slot 3! with the shoulder 80.

full line posiline position of Fig. 2 is enwhich overlies the lever asshown.

In order to maintain the signalling device inoperative, irrespective ofthe position of the slot 35 I have provided a manually operable throwoutdevice comprising a'cam shaped member 43 fixed on a shaft 44, on 'theouter is mounted a knob 45. When this cam is turned to the positionshown in full lines on Fig. 5. the high portion I thereoi engagesbeneath a shoulder 1 formed on the lever 31 and holds the lever upagainst the sounding board. when the cam, however, is rotated to thedotted line position shown in Fig. 5, it is withdrawn from. thisshoulder so as to permit lever 31 to be urged against the minute dialunder the influence oi the spring 42.

When no signal is required, the signalling device is held out ofoperation by the cam 33; but when the user desires to be signalled at apredeknob 22 the minute full lines in Fig. 2-

end of which when aligned therewith to thereby termined future time, thecam 38 is moved to in= operative positions and by manipulation oi thedial is turned to bring the number corresponding with the number oiminutes desired to elapse before the signal becomes efiective into thecenter or the opening it in the clock dial. The minute dial is nowrotated by the clock mechanism in the usual way to bring the slot 35after a predetermined interval for which the top has been set intoalignment with the shoulder 38 whereupon the shoulder rides oil the faceof the dial into said slot, permitting the lever 31 to withdraw from thearmature 28 whereupon the operation of the signalling device isinitiated. The device may be shut ofi by simply turning the knob ii toagain project the lever 31 into engagement with the armature 28.

The structural details illustrated and described are capable ofconsiderable modification without departing from the essence of theinvention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

In a time controlled annunciator, the combination of a clock drivenshaft, a minute dial frictionally connected to said shaft so as to bedriven thereby and be adjustable relatively thereto, said dial beingprovided on one face with indicia and being provided with a control slotspaced from the perimeter of the dial, an annunciating device includinga vibrator, an angular lever fulcrumed in proximity to said disc andprovided with a shoulder adapted to rest against the rear face of thedial whereby the free end of said lever is maintained in the path ofsaid vibrator to preclude actuation oi thevibrator, said shoulder beingadapted to enter said control slot inthe dial permit withdrawal oi theend of said lever from the path of said vibrator, a spring urging saidshoulder toward said dial and manually operable means engageable withsaid lever for positioning the lever in vibrator holding positionindependently of said disc.

JOHN H. GRAYSON.

